Avenue Digital Work Experience - by Allan Palmer

For the past 2 weeks, we’ve had the company of two students from local schools on work experience. Here's an account by Allan Palmer from Hugh Christie Technology College on how he got on...

"I don’t really have that much experience because I am just doing my GCSE but I really enjoy working with computers and different kinds of tech. I want to study law and graphics but I am in two minds between I.C.T and Politics but I think taking I.C.T would help me achieve my career that I would want. I think the reason why I am so into tech and gadgets these days because it inspires me and gives me loads of creative ideas which I use at home and at school.

The first day that I came to Avenue Digital I was a bit nervous because I did not have any experience and did not know what kind of tasks I would be given but thanks to Emma Atkins, Rob Hollander and Simon Fenn, who showed the kind of work they do and the style they work in I was able to settle in and feel at ease. I was not just with the creative team, I was moved to different departments where Katie Merchant on the SEO team showed me how they manage websites on Google ads. Tom Sharp on the business development who taught me on how they communicate with different clients and told me why it is good to have a connection with the clients. Steve Coventry on the front-end development where he showed me how they code websites that they creative team give him. He also explained a little bit of HTML and CSS. This gave me a great view on the different teams that are needed to deliver the website and manage it for the client.

After a few days I was given a brief that I needed to create a concept for a potential client where I got loads of feedback from Rob and Tom. I did get other tasks to do but I think this one had to be the most challenging which was good because it allowed me to see how a digital designer would work and it gave me an insight on how you need to take in what the client wants and design from it. I was lucky enough to get a two week placement which allowed me to develop a couple of concepts. One of the other tasks involved getting logos from the companies that Avenue Digital have worked with in the past which allowed me to see a huge range of clients that they worked with and the kind of styles that they work in.

As they days progressed I got loads of helpful advice from the creative team and links to help me. I was extremely inspired from the work that they do which I shall take on board for my GCSE and A Level which I would want take. I would like to say thank you Avenue Digital but huge thank you to the creative team for showing and teaching at the same time. The past two weeks has inspired me and has been fantastic."